Demi Lovato versus Olivia Wilde
(Words: Front Street / Results: Lookout!)

BEFORE:

"I've got nothing but respect for Olivia," says Demi with a nod. "She's an excellent fighter. But, that doesn't mean I'm not coming in here to win this fight, because I am, and that's exactly what I'm going to do."

"She's coming," says Olivia. "She's got talent and she can hit. One of these days, she's going to be a champion. But, a few months back, I was thisclose to being champion. So, to review, she's GOING to be champion, but, I'm at that level right now."

ROUND ONE:

Wilde has the reach advantage and she uses it. Lovato, obviously, wants to close, but she's getting stopped dead by accurate jabs from Olivia. And, it gets worse from there, because those jabs leave her hanging out there where Wilde can follow on with hard right hands. Add it all up, and it's not a good start for the younger brunette. Lovato works hard to get inside, but she absolutely can not do it. Instead, Wilde's defenses hold and her hard, accurate punches take their toll. About two minutes in, Lovato's covering up at range, not even trying to get inside anymore. She's hearing it from the corner, "Move! Get after her!" but she can't find a way to do it. Instead, Lovato's going BACKWARD, as Wilde now steps in behind the jab and takes canvas. When the bell finally rings, it has to be a relief to the younger fighter, who gets pretty thoroughly thrashed in the first and loses the points wide.

ROUND TWO:

If you think Demi took a licking in the first three minutes of the fight, it's nothing compared to what she gets in the Lookout! corner. And, she takes it to heart. Second begins with Lovato's head moving, her gloves high, and the younger woman again moving forward. NOW, she's finding a way past Wilde's jab and is able to get inside to work body. Wilde tying up, but Lovato working free and then ROCKING OLIVIA WITH A RIGHT UPPIE! Wilde HURT and Lovato letting the hands go! Demi forces her rival back into the ropes and then fires away to the body as Wilde puts it on sale. Older woman willing to take the thumping to run some clock, and the strategy pays off. Lovato unable to find the "off" switch, and, by the end of the round, Wilde's firing back hard in the counter. It's far too late for her to get back into the round, however, and Demi takes it wide to even the fight at 19.

ROUND THREE:

Lovato doesn't press. She knows Olivia's shaken the damage. Instead, she gets back to work, bobbing the head, keeping the gloves up, working past the jab so that she can get inside and bang with the taller girl. Wilde counters this with movement and that accurate jab, working hard to keep Lovato at range, where she can score the jab and land hard right hand follows. Both women get some of what they want, but no one can grab control. Result is a good back and forth round. Until. DOWN GOES LOVATO! Wilde sets it up beautifully. It's a double-tap jab that stops and holds Demi and a BOOMING right hand follow that sends her sprawling to her back. Wilde's quickly to a neutral corner to watch and wait. Lovato looks finished, but begins stirring at five. She's on her feet at nine. Referee take a long look during the mandatory, but waives Wilde forward. Only a few seconds to go, and that probably saves Demi. Olivia's able to batter her into the ropes, but, before she can begin to clean up the bell rings. It's Wilde 10-8 and with a 29-27 lead, but Lovato survives.

ROUND FOUR:

Wilde cleans up. Thoroughly. She's not just dusting and vacuuming here. She's moving furniture, washing walls, removing every spec of dust. And, while she's doing it, Demi can only hang on. Lovato wobbly and woozy. She's taking tons of fire, and only those sturdy legs keep her from collapsing early. Wilde, though, has plenty of time this stanza and she uses it well. She forces the younger woman against the ropes again and has at her. Referee watches closely as Wilde sends volley after volley of heavy fire at the reeling Demi. Lovato jabbing back in spots, trying to keep the ref at bay and run some clock while Olivia looks for the one big shot that will end things. But. She doesn't find it. Somehow, Lovato manages to remain on her feet to the bell. She's a listing, smoking wreck, but, she's still afloat. On the cards, it's Wilde wide and they now read 39-36.

ROUND FIVE:

Wilde determined to finish. After Lovato right off the bell. WALKS INTO A RIGHT HAND! Where did that come from? Lovato with a Hail Mary of a right hook and Wilde is HURT. Oliva stumbling backward and Demi does nothing for an instant, finally realizing what's happened, the younger woman comes forward and begins winging leather. She's not landing a high percentage, but, with Wilde's shaky legs barely able to hold her up let alone do any moving, she's getting punches home. Slowly, she gets Olivia against the cables and just keeps tossing slop. It's far from pretty, but it's effective. Wilde's leaning back in a high guard, rolling with, catching leather with the gloves, but taking plenty of punishment. Referee again looking closely, thinking about jumping in, but, before he does, BELL. And the fifth is over. Lovato claims it in shutout fashion, but she's still down 48-46 at the half.

ROUND SIX:

Now Lovato determined to finish. She's running on fumes at this point and knows she's got to get Livvy out of there. Again, it's a lot of slop, but, again, it's effective. Lovato's batting average is below the Mendoza line, but what's landing is backing Wilde up, keeping her on the defensive. Wilde still trying to run clock, her legs still wobbly, but now it's Lovato with plenty of time, at least on the clock. She's sitting down on everything. Throwing everything she has at Wilde. BOOM! It's another right hook, this one set up with a short left hook to the breadbasket and DOWN GOES WILDE! Oliva blown to her back and Demi actually stumbling in the follow through from that punch. She gets to a neutral corner as quickly as she can, but it's still too slow for her corner. But. It's fast enough. Wilde isn't completely out, but she's beyond getting to her feet. It's OVER! And your winner by KO6 is Demi Lovato!

AFTER:

Lovato looking nothing like the winner of this fight in the post-fight, but, hey, you should have seen the other guy. "Knew it would be tough," she says, through swollen lips. "But, I knew I could get her. And, I got her." And, that she did.